THE EFFECT OF HEMOGLOBIN ON RENAL FUNCTION IN THE HUMAN

Abstract

A total of 36 renal clearance studies was performed on 25 male subjects before and after intravascular admn. of hemoglobin in dosages ranging up to 15 g. Injn. of either an autogenous hemolyzed blood prepn. or a commercially prepared hemoglobin soln. promptly resulted in the following physiol. changes: (1) an increase in systolic and diastolic blood pressures, (2) a decrease in pulse rate, (3) a decrease in clearances of inulin and PAH, (4) an increase in filtration fraction, (5) a decrease in urine flow, and (6) an increase in % of glomerular filtrate reabsorbed by the renal tubules. Renal extraction of PAH at low plasma levels was essentially unchanged following the admn. of hemoglobin. In follow-up studies performed in 18 of the 36 expts. at 24-48 hours after injn. of hemoglobin, inulin and PAH clearances had returned to control levels. It is suggested that renal vasoconstriction induced by the presence of extracorpuscular hemoglobin may play an important role in production of renal damage associated with hemoglobinuric states.